A Critical Review on the Course Selection for Web-Based Instruction (WBI) Integration

In order to tackle the students’ writing problems based on the writing needs of UiTM learners and instructors as well as the limitations found in the existing web-based writing systems, researchers proposed using web-based instruction (WBI) as a supplementary instructional tool (Mah and Khor (2015). After reviewing the existing English courses as well as the course content, it was found appropriate to be integrated with WBI as the content development as this course focusses on developing the learners’ writing competency to produce a research report. Below is the abstract from the original paper entitled A Critical Review on the Course Selection for Web-Based Instruction (WBI) Integration authored by Boon Yih Mah, Lim Teck Heng, Rosmaliza Mohamed, Rasaya Marimuthu, Liaw Shun Chone and Rushita Ismail presented in UPALS Language Colloquium 2016 on 30 September 2016 at UiTM Penang Branch, Permatang Pauh Campus, Penang, Malaysia:

Web-based instruction (WBI) has been proposed by Mah and Khor (2015) as a supplementary instructional tool to tackle the writing problems faced by Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) students besides to fulfil the writing needs of UiTM learners and instructors due to the limitations found in the existing web-based writing systems. Hence, the objective of this study is to select an appropriate English course by conducting a critical review of literature based on the past studies involving UiTM English courses as well as the types of English courses offered by UiTM before embracing WBI as the course’s supplementary instructional tool. After scrutinising all the UiTM English courses offered in 2013, BEL422 Report Writing was identified as the most proper course to be integrated with WBI owing to its syllabus, course structure, and assessment components that focus on proposal and report writing as the main learning outcome. Through the integration of WBI for instructional purpose, students who have registered in this course can acquire their writing competency to communicate effectively in an academic form of written English. Therefore, BEL422 Report Writing was opted to be integrated with WBI as the content development to facilitate the teaching process as well as enhance the learning outcomes. The future study will look into the adoption of Web-based Cognitive Writing Instruction (WeCWI) as the framework of WBI development for the enhancement of writing performance and critical thinking.